Updated 2:40 pm, Friday, January 3, 2014

The movie starred '70s variety show actor Soupy Sales as the Pied Piper, "It's My Party" singer Lesley Gore as Bo Peep, plus Kenny Rogers and the First Edition, a gaggle of enthusiastic children and a bunch of Jim Henson's Muppets.

There was also a killer banjo solo by an Astroworld performer Roger Vernon, who was 17 at the time and contacted Chron.com after this article was posted to tell us about his experience.

"After some of my high school friends auditioned for jobs at Astroworld, they suggested I come out and audition as well. I sang a song and played guitar for my audition.

Photo: ABC Photo Archives, ABC Via Getty Images

Image 1of/10

Caption

Close

Image 1 of 10

"The Pied Piper of Astroworld" aired on ABC on Dec. 28, 1968.

"The Pied Piper of Astroworld" aired on ABC on Dec. 28, 1968.

Photo: ABC Photo Archives, ABC Via Getty Images

Image 2 of 10

"The Pied Piper of Astroworld" aired on ABC on Dec. 28, 1968.

"The Pied Piper of Astroworld" aired on ABC on Dec. 28, 1968.

Photo: ABC Photo Archives, ABC Via Getty Images

Image 3 of 10

"The Pied Piper of Astroworld" aired on ABC on Dec. 28, 1968.

"The Pied Piper of Astroworld" aired on ABC on Dec. 28, 1968.

Photo: ABC Photo Archives, ABC Via Getty Images

Image 4 of 10

"The Pied Piper of Astroworld" aired on ABC on Dec. 28, 1968.

"The Pied Piper of Astroworld" aired on ABC on Dec. 28, 1968.

Photo: ABC Photo Archives, ABC Via Getty Images

Image 5 of 10

"The Pied Piper of Astroworld" aired on ABC on Dec. 28, 1968.

"The Pied Piper of Astroworld" aired on ABC on Dec. 28, 1968.

Photo: ABC Photo Archives, ABC Via Getty Images

Image 6 of 10

"The Pied Piper of Astroworld" aired on ABC on Dec. 28, 1968.

"The Pied Piper of Astroworld" aired on ABC on Dec. 28, 1968.

Photo: ABC Photo Archives, ABC Via Getty Images

Image 7 of 10

"The Pied Piper of Astroworld" aired on ABC on Dec. 28, 1968.

"The Pied Piper of Astroworld" aired on ABC on Dec. 28, 1968.

Photo: ABC Photo Archives, ABC Via Getty Images

Image 8 of 10

"The Pied Piper of Astroworld" aired on ABC on Dec. 28, 1968.

"The Pied Piper of Astroworld" aired on ABC on Dec. 28, 1968.

Photo: ABC Photo Archives, ABC Via Getty Images

Image 9 of 10

"The Pied Piper of Astroworld" aired on ABC on Dec. 28, 1968.

"The Pied Piper of Astroworld" aired on ABC on Dec. 28, 1968.

Photo: ABC Photo Archives, ABC Via Getty Images

Image 10 of 10

ABC made a 1968 holiday special about Astroworld

1 / 10

Back to Gallery

"The audition didn't seem to create any interest on Astroworld's part until they learned that I also played tenor banjo. The banjo audition got me the job and, a couple of months later, my two minutes of fame."

Vernon, who worked at Astroworld for two years, said he only knew one song on the banjo at the time of his audition. He had learned it from his dad, and quickly learned two new songs for his role in the Crystal Palace Singers.

You can see a video of Vernon's "Pied Piper" performance in the above slideshow.

"Until now, Patrick Swayze's publicity invariably cites Prince Charming in Disney on Parade as his first major public appearance, but that was not the case," Leigh writes.

"The truth is far less romantic, for on Christmas Day 1968 the musical fable The Pied Piper of Astro World...featured the sixteen-year-old Patrick, clad in a bear costume, his face completely obscured from the audience. A quirky and inauspicious launch for his career, but still a start. And the following year, he did a turn as the ringmaster, again at Astro World."

Vernon confirmed that Swayze was in the TV special, although he was going by Buddy Swayze at the time. Swayze's mother, Patsy Swayze, was the choreographer for the Crystal Palace Singers, which may have helped her son snag the job.